When we talk about viral content, what usually comes to mind?

These are videos that have been watched and shared millions of times worldwide, and are great examples of viral content.

But how exactly did these videos become viral? And how can you create content that will be shared by thousands, or even millions? Jonah Berger might have the answers to that.

A professor or marketing at Wharton University, Berger specializes in the study of word of mouth, or social epidemics. He has studied what constitutes to a content’s ‘virality’; why some content gets shared much more than others.

Based on more than 10 years of research, Berger identified 6 key principles of what makes content viral (STEPPS for short):

Social currency – we share what makes us look good.

Triggers – we share what’s at the top of our minds.

Emotion – we share what we care about.

Public – we imitate what we see people around us are doing.

Practicalvalue – we share things that have value to others.

Stories – We share stories, not information.

Here are 6 ads that demonstrates a sound understanding of these principles:

Social Currency: Google’s “How it feels” Glass ad shows how cool and tech-savvy you are.

When we share something cool with others, we subconsciously want to show that we are in-the-know of the latest and coolest content. That’s what social currency is about.

And what better way to show that you’re cool by sharing a video of the magical Google Glass?

In terms of wearable tech, Google Glass sits right up there as being the coolest of the cool. This video doesn’t just show the Glass; it shows you just how it feels like to wear one.

Most of us shared this video because it looked so cool, and perhaps because we subconsciously wanted to show that so are we.

If you held back some tears while watching that video, the ad has worked. It not only touches us, but also gives us a heartwarming reminder to be grateful to our mothers.

P&G is well known for producing household products, of which mothers are likely their biggest consumers. I liked how P&G did not show any of their products or brand logos until the end, where the message has already gone through: Mums are awesome.

We tell stories all the time; it is a great way to share information and experiences. Although not all stories are told with an agenda, there is always some meaning embedded within one.

In the case of GoPro’s “Fireman saves kitten” video, it tells a story of a fireman who saves an unconscious kitten in a house on fire, and how he manages to resuscitate it.

This story is awe-inspiring, but it has one very important element: this video wouldn’t have been possible if not for the GoPro camera on the fireman’s helmet.

The narrative in this video carries the subtle message that GoPro enables us to see things from very different perspectives. We’ve seen skateboarders, skydivers and other extreme sports enthusiasts wear them, but this video shows us a different perspective. A different, yet very real kind of danger.

The 6 STEPPS to making contagious content:

Berger’s research has found that these 6 principles are embedded within human psychology, that we are naturally wired to share certain kinds of information. We are suckers for humor, cool technology, and cats (they fall under social currency and emotion).

As Berger mentions in his book, ‘Contagious: Why Ideas Catch On’:

Virality isn’t born, it’s made.

While this post featured 6 ads, Berger has stated that these STEPPS are applicable for all forms of content: information, branding, emails, etc.

If you’d like to know more about Berger’s research and 6 STEPPS to viral content, check out this visual summary!

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